JERSEY CITY, NJ —
August 28, 2026 |
By DailyHudson Staff
Mayor Solomon credits Goodman with building the arts infrastructure that defines the city today.
Christine Goodman walked into her office at Jersey City’s Department of Cultural Affairs one last time on a recent Friday. The walls were covered with photos of festivals, gallery openings, and the faces of artists whose careers she helped launch. She packed a few personal items, but the real legacy — the arts trust fund, the Poet Laureate program, the Loews Theatre restoration — stays behind.
After a quarter-century of shaping the city’s cultural identity, Goodman is stepping down. Mayor James Solomon made the announcement on her final day, marking the end of an era that saw Jersey City transform from a stopover for artists into a place where they build lives.
“Christine Goodman built the arts infrastructure this city runs on,” Solomon said. “Before there was an Arts & Culture Trust Fund, before there was a Poet Laureate, before JC Fridays — there was Christine, making the case that Jersey City’s artists deserved real investment and a real seat at the table. She won that argument.”
The transition begins Monday, when Deputy Chief of Staff Kristel Asqui-Mejia steps in as acting director. The city has posted the director position and is accepting applications immediately.
From Small Office to National Model
When Goodman started in 2000, the Office of Cultural Affairs was a modest municipal operation. By the time she left, it had become a national reference point for how cities can invest in creative communities.
The numbers tell part of the story: more than 400 events, festivals, and performances coordinated each year. Competitive grants that reached hundreds of artists. Public art commissions that changed how the streets feel. Cultural policy that put artists at the table when decisions were made.
Her signature achievement is the Arts & Culture Trust Fund — the first municipal fund of its kind in New Jersey. Since its creation, it has pumped over $5 million into more than 500 artists and cultural organizations through grants, arts education funding, general operating support, and individual fellowships.
What It Means for Jersey City
For the average resident, Goodman’s work shows up in subtle ways. That mural you pass on your commute. The jazz performance at the park on a summer evening. Your kid’s after-school arts program. The commuter gallery at Journal Square PATH Station, where tens of thousands of riders see local work every year.
She also played matchmaker for big institutional moves. The New Jersey Symphony now calls Jersey City home. The Loews Jersey Theatre — that grand old movie palace on Journal Square — is being restored, and Goodman helped make that happen. She worked with Jersey City Arts Council to bring the city its first official Poet Laureate.
“25 years ago, I believed Jersey City could be a place where artists could build a life, not just pass through,” Goodman said. “What I’ve watched happen since has exceeded anything I imagined.”
Voices From the Community
Goodman’s departure has drawn praise from across the city. Solomon highlighted how she turned the office into a model that other municipalities study. She also led Jersey City’s first citywide study of the nonprofit arts sector and produced the annual July 4th celebration.
For Goodman, the work was never about the titles. “This work was made possible because of the artists, organizers, and neighbors who kept showing up,” she said. “It has been the privilege of my career to serve them, and I leave knowing this work is in good hands.”
What Comes Next
The city is looking for someone to fill Goodman’s shoes. The application for the director role is posted now, and officials say they’re looking for someone who can build on the foundation she laid.
Asqui-Mejia will hold things down in the meantime. She’ll oversee the office’s day-to-day operations and keep the programs running while the search happens.
Jersey City’s arts scene didn’t become what it is by accident. It took years of persistent, patient work — the kind that doesn’t make headlines but shows up in every gallery opening, every festival, every kid who picks up a paintbrush for the first time. That’s Goodman’s real legacy, and it’s not going anywhere.
Source: Hudson County View
